Pages

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Rebound headaches

It's not clear why rebound headaches occur. However, scientists suspect
that regular use of headache medications alters the way certain pain
pathways and receptors work in the brain.

Rebound headaches can
develop if you frequently use headache medication. Although the risk of
developing medication-overuse headache varies depending on the
medication, any acute headache medication has the potential to lead to
rebound headaches, including:

Simple pain relievers. Common
pain relievers such as aspirin and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) may
contribute to rebound headaches — especially if you exceed the
recommended daily dosages. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil,
Motrin, others) and naproxen (Aleve, others) are considered low risk for
development of medication-overuse headache. Combination pain
relievers. Over-the-counter pain relievers that contain a combination of
caffeine, aspirin and acetaminophen (Excedrin, others) are common
culprits. This group also includes prescription medications such as
Fioricet, Fiorinal and Esgic-Plus, which also contain the sedative
butalbital. All of these medications are high risk for the development
of medication-overuse headache. Some combination medications have even
been withdrawn from the market in certain European countries.
Migraine medications. Various migraine medications have been linked with
rebound headaches, including triptans (Imitrex, Zomig, others) and
certain ergots — such as ergotamine (Ergomar, others). These medications
have a moderate risk of causing medication-overuse headaches.
Interestingly, the ergot dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45) appears to have a
lower potential for leading to this problem. Opiates. Painkillers
derived from opium or from synthetic opium compounds include
combinations of codeine and acetaminophen (Tylenol with Codeine No. 3
and No. 4, others). These medications are considered high risk for the
development of rebound headaches. Daily doses of caffeine — from
your morning coffee, your afternoon soda, or any pain reliever or other
product containing this mild stimulant — may fuel rebound headaches as
well. Read product labels to make sure you're not wiring your system
with more caffeine than you realize.